Network for transferring data packets and method for operating the network

1. A method for transferring data packets in a network of multiple user stations, the data packets being transferred over a set of channels with the frequency-hopping method and the channels being in this context selected for data transfer in accordance with at least one frequency-hopping pattern in temporal succession, in which the network is divided into at least two basic networks, each with a central station and a limited number of user stations; and in each basic network a separate frequency-hopping pattern is processed that is orthogonal to the frequency-hopping pattern of immediately adjacent basic networks, wherein data packets are exchanged for synchronization purposes between the first central station and the second central station via one of the user stations connected to the first central station, wherein the first central station is connected to the one of the user stations via a wireless connection and the second central station is connected to the one of the user stations via a wired connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each basic network services up to 256, preferably up to 20, user stations.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of channels lies in a frequency band that is used by primary users, such that before a potential data transfer, a particular channel selected by the network of user stations is checked to determine whether a primary user is occupying that channel at the time, and as a function of that check either a data packet is transferred over the selected channel, or the next channel in the particular frequency-hopping pattern is selected for checking and potential data transfer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user stations of a basic network are operated synchronously with one another and reciprocally with respect to the particular central station.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the basic networks are synchronized with one another in such a way that all the central stations are transmitting or receiving simultaneously.

6. A network for transferring data packets, with multiple user stations, the data packets being transferred over a set of channels with the frequency-hopping method and the channels being in this context selected for data transfer in accordance with at least one frequency-hopping pattern in temporal succession, in which the network has at least two basic networks each with a central station and a limited number of user stations; and a separate frequency-hopping pattern that is orthogonal to the frequency-hopping patterns of immediately adjacent basic networks is allocated to each basic network, wherein the first central station is connected to the second central station for exchanging data packets for synchronization purposes wherein the first central station is connected to the second central station via one of the user stations coupled to the first central station, and wherein the first central station is connected to the second central station by a wireless connection between the first central station and one of the user stations and a wired connection between one of the user stations and the second central station.

7. The network of claim 6, wherein each basic network comprises up to 256, preferably up to 20, user stations.

8. The network of claim 6, wherein the set of channels lies in a frequency band that is used by primary users, such that before a potential data transfer, a particular channel selected by the network of user stations is checked to determine whether a primary user is occupying that channel at the time, and as a function of that check either a data packet is transferred over the selected channel, or the next channel in the particular frequency-hopping pattern is selected for checking and potential data transfer.

9. The network of claim 6, wherein each central station synchronizes a system time in the associated basic network; and the network comprises a synchronization station, connected to the central stations, which generates and emits a synchronizing signal by means of which the individual system times of the basic networks are synchronized with one another.

10. The network of claim 9, wherein at least one central station is connected on a hardware basis to the synchronization station.

11. The network of claim 6, wherein a central station and/or a user station have one transmission and one reception antenna.

12. A method for transferring data packets in a network of multiple user stations, the network being divided into at least two basic networks, each of the basic networks having a central station and user stations, the method comprising: transferring data packets over a set of channels utilizing frequency-hopping, the channels being selected for data transfer in accordance with at least one frequency-hopping pattern in temporal succession, wherein each basic network employs a separate frequency-hopping pattern that is orthogonal to the frequency-hopping pattern of the immediately adjacent basic networks; and exchanging data packets for synchronization purposes between a central station of one of said at least two basic networks and a central station of another of said at least two basic networks via a user station, wherein the central station of one of said at least two basic networks is connected to a user station via a wireless connection and the central station of another of said at least two basic networks is connected to the user station via a wired connection.